


Extraction

by Dazzledfirestar



Category: Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (TV), Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Aftermath of Torture, M/M, Strained Relationships
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-10-06
Updated: 2014-10-06
Packaged: 2018-02-20 03:11:45
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,179
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2412791
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Dazzledfirestar/pseuds/Dazzledfirestar
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Even with spotty intelligence, one thing is perfectly clear. They have to get him out of there.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Extraction

**Author's Note:**

  * For [TeaJay](https://archiveofourown.org/users/TeaJay/gifts).



The intel is spotty at best. Half glanced words from agents that escaped while someone else was going into the HYDRA base. No names. No identity involved. But there’s only one dead man—aside from himself—that HYDRA would have that kind of interest in and Phil isn’t about to let him end up dead for real this time.

“Even if it isn’t him, whoever it is could be an ally.” Melinda speaks the words with one eyebrow slowly creeping up her forehead. He’ll thank her for backing him up on this one at a later date but he’s pretty sure her instincts are telling her the same thing his are telling him.

They have to get Nick out of there.

That’s the only solid reasoning he’s got. They don’t see each other much at this point. They can’t talk often. He’s basically just spending most of his time bailing out agents that Phil can’t get to and taking down or alerting him to HYDRA bases all over the world. He’s a ghost now, after all. And ghosts don’t get caught.

Until they do, apparently.

He couldn’t let Melinda push him off the Bus for this one. He promises her that he’d keep it to running back end. That he’d let her and Skye and Trip and Hunter handle the actual extraction as long as they keep him in the loop and on comms. “I need to be there when you bring him back.”

She understands, of course. She knows the history. She was there for most of it. She’s been a confidante to both of them over the years. She knows he won’t rest, won’t stop until Nick’s out of there; until he’s safe. Or at least as safe as any of them ever get at this point.

Which means she’ll speed along the process as much as she possibly can. Not that he’s considering that as a mitigating factor to forcing his way on the Bus. But every little bit makes a difference. Especially in situations like these.

He spends too much time gripping the table too tight. Gritting his teeth to keep from yelling orders into the comm or begging for updates and sit reps. Mack literally keeps him from running down the bay door before it’s completely open when the team says they’re incoming. “Sorry, sir. May’s orders and I’m not dumb enough to get on her bad side.”

Phil forces half a smile at the joke and agrees, though the words don’t really register as the black SUV comes into view. May is out first, directing the rest of them as they lift a makeshift stretcher out of the back. She’s between him and the team before he can move. “How bad is it?” He gets the words out as he’s trying to look over her shoulder.

She frowns and lets out a breath. It’s more of a tell than he was expecting. “It’s bad. But it could have been worse.”

“How bad?”

“Phil…”

“How bad, May?”

She goes into Agent mode. He can actually see the moment the switch happens. “He was unconscious when we found him. Blood loss seems like the major reason but until a medic looks at him, I can’t say for sure. Trip was the one dealing with the onsite medical issues. You’ll have to get details from him or the medical team at base.”

“Get us in the air.”

“Wheels up in five.” She nods and heads toward the cockpit only stopping for a moment. “Phil…”

“You don’t have to say it.”

“I will anyway.” She comes back to him and puts her hand on his shoulder. “He’ll be okay.”

He’s slow to admit that the words actually do make him feel a little better. “Thanks.” She’s gone before he can say anything else.

~*~*~

It’s not a hospital bed. He knows that, even with the beeping equipment around. It’s too comfortable for that or anything the HYDRA camp would have put him on if they’d decided to let him live. That meant somebody had found him. That wasn’t necessarily putting him in a better situation. But there was nothing for it. He had to open his eyes and find out what the deal was sooner rather than later.  
He absolutely was not expecting to see Phil sitting beside him, twisting a paperclip between his fingers. Nick tries not to groan as he shifts but it is inevitable. The commander at the base he’d raided had made about a hundred ‘pound of flesh’ comments during his torture. He didn’t think they got that far but it felt like it now. “Hey.”

Phil’s head shoots up and the paperclip drops, clinking quietly on the floor before Phil’s hand is on his. “What the hell were you thinking?”

He motions for a glass of water. The dry, tight feel in his throat tells him how long he’d been out and it hadn’t been a short nap this time. Phil sighs and fills the cup on the bedside table, positioning the straw to make it easier on him. “I was thinking my intel was shit. But Strzeszewski and Nagayoshi got out.”

“I know, they’re who I got my not shitty intel from.” Phil sits back, still obviously too tense and preoccupied. Nick feels bad about that. He knows from experience how much work Phil probably should be doing right at that very second. “You scared the shit out of me, you know that?”

“Sorry.”

“Look, can you just…” Phil leans in again, taking Nick’s hand in his. “Just check in before you go in alone, okay?”

Nick sighs and nods. “Okay.”

“I mean it.” Phil’s voice cracks just a little. Most people wouldn’t notice but Nick’s not most people. “I don’t want to lose you again.”

“You never really lost me.” It’s a weak line at best and he trusts Phil to call him on it.

He’s not disappointed. “Sure as hell didn’t feel that way.”

“I know.” He doesn’t apologize. Not again. He’s gotten that out a few times already. Phil gets it. He knows he does. “And thanks.”

“For bailing your ass out?”

“For being there. Yeah.”

“Where else would I be?” Phil manages a small smile. It’s a little wry, a little sad and a little sarcastic. It’s a look Nick hasn’t gotten from him in a long while and he’s starting to think he’s missed it more than he thought.

Nick thinks about that for a minute; lists all the places Phil could be instead of running back end on a rescue mission to get him out of trouble that he got himself into in the first place. He thinks about that and is just a little thankful when whatever pain killers they’re pumping into him start dragging him down into sleep again. He thinks it’s probably selfish to say what he wants to say, after everything but if worse comes to worse he’ll blame the drugs. “Still love you, you know.”

“Yeah, I know.” Phil squeezes his hand. “I still love you too.”

“Lucky me.”

“Damn right.”


End file.
